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Japanese company Toshiba has shared the results of a future-proof housing project in the UK. The house is reportedly energy neutral in the summer months.
A UK homeowner has installed two air source heat pumps, a rooftop photovoltaic system, a battery and two Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems on a property in Chester, England.
Specifically, it combined two 11 kW air source heat pumps in a five-bedroom house, with a 16 kW photovoltaic system and an 11 kW battery.
The future-proof facility has been in operation since December. It has two 11 kW Toshiba ESTIA air-water heat pumps for heating, domestic hot water and cooling during the summer months. Heat pumps use R32 as a refrigerant and have a coefficient of performance (COP) of up to 4.88.
One of the ESTIA systems supplies underfloor heating to around 90 square meters of the open-plan kitchen and dining room, while the other supplies hot water. It also heats the upper floor radiators and towel rails from a 300 liter water tank. ESTIA indoor units include a 3 kW backup heater to ensure operation at low ambient air temperatures. Toshiba claims that the system supplies hot water at 62ºC when outside temperatures drop as low as -25ºC.
The heat pumps are powered by a roof-mounted 16 kW photovoltaic system from an undisclosed manufacturer. Excess power is stored in an 11 kW battery. David Meseck, the homes owner and renewable energy consultant, says the property is now "energy neutral" during the summer months, as the energy generated and stored offsets the electricity consumed from the grid.
The system has been running since December of last year and the way it has transformed the house is fantastic,” says Meseck. “It was important to do everything right; the project was sized correctly and the equipment was properly installed. Together with the other measures, we now have an efficient electric heating system with the added benefit of cooling in the summer, and the annual maintenance cost is comparable to that of the boiler.” In addition to helping us future-proof our home and reduce energy costs, the changes have added value to the property.”
The system was installed by Woburn Mechanical Services, based in Mansfield.
“This is by far the biggest domestic project weve ever done,” says Peter Franks, installer. “The customer knew exactly what he wanted and now he has a complete heating and cooling system. Toshiba equipment is excellent in terms of performance and reliability, and comes with a seven-year warranty. We wouldnt install it if we didnt fully trust it." |
